This month: a conversation with the ever-inspiring Laura Wright of The First Mess. She shares a vibrant, savoury recipe, where Spring finds its way on to the plate. x
and at the end, a link to my earl grey olive oil cake, with blueberry lavender compote, and coconut whipped cream; in Laura's latest Saturday Sun…
first, some art, internet, and ideas for you:
“Even the simplest words have secrets. The more you take a word for granted, the less it tells.” Homesick by Jennifer Croft
Food blogger, recipe developer, and cookbook author– Laura Wright needs little introduction. The beautifully authentic woman behind the iconic website (and one of my favourite cookbooks), The First Mess– she’s someone who redefined what eating well meant to me. Her blog was (and continues to be) a welcome salve to both the over-indulgent, as well as the dogmatically “healthy” recipes filled with heavy-handed narratives.
The First Mess is Laura’s commitment to living, working, and creating with intention. Her recipes have long been a space for me (and many, many others) to reorient myself with the natural world. I’ve been drawn to Laura’s brightness, flavour pairings, and the way she communicates plant-based living, since I was young (her Ginger Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew w/ Lentils & Kale is a dish I return to, over and over). She allows nature to play into her life in every way, and understands the importance of self-care, compassion, and sustainability, without being tied, inflexible or rigid.
Here, I’m lucky enough to pick her brain a bit more on: attuning yourself to the pace of the seasons, taking personal passions and allowing them to evolve in organic, expansive ways, balancing rituals she relies on, getting better at avoiding burnout and more.
And finally– her recipe for an herby chickpea salad, with leeks and lemon is truly something special, and will make you not only excited about eating plants, but also about Spring itself!
Tell us about a day in the life of Laura! What are some daily rituals you rely on?
I am a big-time homebody, so my days are pretty chill! I wake up around 6 and go for a walk/do some yoga or pilates. After that, it’s a 10 minute meditation, journaling, and coffee. From there I get started on work. Some days I’m testing a recipe, photographing/filming a recipe or Instagram content, doing backend stuff for my site or paperwork, grocery/prop shopping etc! I like to take my dogs for a walk to break up the day and usually aim to be shutting down by 4:30. This time of year I’ll do some little garden jobs right after work and then I’ll get started on dinner. In the evenings I’ll read, watch TV or hang in the garden a bit more.
Your home and garden is the dreamiest space. Let’s backtrack: tell us about where you grew up, and do you have any favourite family food traditions?
I grew up in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario surrounded by farmland and wineries. My dad owned a local grocery store and had a large hobby garden filled with vegetables and raspberries. My grandmother would make giant pots of red sauce on the stove in the backroom of the store, and would feed my brother and I huge plates of spaghetti for lunch while we were working. We always wanted a nap after!
What’s at the foundation, at the heart of your cooking, of The First Mess?
The change of seasons and the sheer abundance of plant-based whole foods. The variety of tastes and textures in the plant kingdom is unmatched. My cooking style is for all types of eaters and it will make you want to eat more vegetables, I promise!
What are some ordinary everyday wonders that inspire you, and inspire your creativity?
My garden and the changing shapes inspire me so much. I hike a lot in the warm weather and find that I have the best ideas out on the trails. And of course our weekly local farmer’s market is filled with endless inspiration!
Do you have any advice for people intimidated by plant based cooking & baking?
Start with one meal. Make a totally plant-based version of a thing that you already enjoy and see how it feels. If you enjoy that, keep going and maybe add another plant-based meal to your repertoire in a couple weeks. Just go slow and do what feels good!
Did you always imagine a creative, entrepreneurial life for yourself? Was there a moment when that became clear?
No definitely not. I thought that I would work in restaurants forever. I only fully embraced a creative career when my cookbook was published in 2017. Up until then I had been juggling my blog, restaurant work, and some freelance photography jobs. When my book came out, I finally felt secure enough to take the leap.
What would you say to someone who is experiencing overwhelm, burnout, or simply feeling “stuck”?
If you can, embrace the “stuck” feeling and resist the urge to spiral into guilt. Lack of inspiration/motivation and overwhelm are signs of burnout for me personally. It means that I need to cool it on content production and not apply pressure. In these moments, I focus on the non-creative side of my work (tedious backend website tasks & organizing bills/other admin). It’s a phase and it will be over. When it is over and I’m back in the flow, I take advantage and “bank” recipes/content so that I’m prepared next time.
What can we look forward to from you this year? What are you excited about, and feeling drawn to (creatively, and in life)?
Always new recipes on my websiteand Instagram, and I am finally getting my stuff together to start working on a new cookbook this year. I have promised myself that I will get going on it! I also want to explore the video format a bit more intentionally.
I feel most inspired when I visit: A new grocery store or farmer’s market! Nothing could be more thrilling haha.
I feel most connected to nature when: cooking with local fruits and veg
I stay balanced (as much as that’s possible!) by: sticking to my morning routine
When I host a dinner, I always include: homemade bread
- You can use white beans instead of chickpeas for a slightly softer and creamier end result.
- I like the neutral flavour of avocado oil here, but feel free to substitute olive oil if you prefer that!
- This salad is perfect on top of smashed avocado toast, but equally good scooped up with pita chips or mixed up with some greens. Make it your own!
Serves ~4
ingredients:
5 tablespoons avocado oil
1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts only–about ½ cup sliced leek total)
1 small clove garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
400 ml canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
for serving…
Avocado toast
Pickled red onions
Pita chips
Fresh greens
Etc!
i) In a medium skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the leeks and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until leeks are very soft. Avoid browning the leeks (lower the heat if the leeks do start browning).
ii) Transfer the oil and sautéed leek mixture to a blender. To the blender, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, dill, vegan mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Taste the dressing and adjust if necessary (more salt, lemon etc).
iii) Place the chickpeas in a bowl and pour the herby dressing over top. Using a fork, lightly mash some of the chickpeas. Stir to combine and season with a bit more salt and pepper.
iv) Enjoy the herby chickpea salad on avocado toast, scooped up with chips, on top of greens, or any way that you like!
